Was Marlowe Faustus? Talk at Marlowe 450, Canterbury.

Wednesday 12th March 2013, 6pm

Ahead of Fourth Monkey’s production of Doctor Faustus at The Marlowe Theatre at 8pm, a talk on the extent to which Marlowe’s life and work are inter-related.

We do not know exactly when Doctor Faustus was written, but Robert Greene’s 1588 allusion to Marlowe associates him, very early in his career, with a famous magician. Faustus is the protagonist with whom Marlowe is most often conflated: the scholar A.L.Rowse said ‘Faustus is Marlowe’. Is this simply a case of reading the author’s life backwards through the lens of his public atheism and subsequent sticky end? Were elements of Marlowe biography written in to the play after his death? Did those who knew him personally think of him as Faustus? This talk explores evidence that illuminates Marlowe’s relationship with his most famous protagonist.

3 thoughts on “Was Marlowe Faustus? Talk at Marlowe 450, Canterbury.”

Dear Ros, is there a recording of your lecture “Was Marlowe Faustus?” anywhere or do you have a transcript/intention of giving the lecture again in the future? If so, could you let me know? Many thanks

Hi Katharine, the article version of this exists and was joint winner of the Calvin Hoffman prize. It’s somewhat too long for journal publication so I’m breaking it down into smaller chunks. But I’ve got your e-mail address so I’ll send you the whole thing.